Marionette
by Sinister hime
Summary: A different type of events happen at the outcome of the war that actually don't change things in the long run. Well, except for Sakura. But she wasn't that important to begin with anyway. Too bad this was one thing she had to face alone. AU SasoSaku SPOILERS: Takes place after the war.
1. Chapter 1

**Marionette **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

**A/N: I was re-watching Sakura and Chiyo's fight against Sasori the other day, and his character really, honestly hit me hard. After seeing all the flashy moves and stunts, you start paying more detailed attention to the dialogues and Sasori is just…**

**Sasori shouldn't have died.**

**So- in honour of him I have used the power of fanbase and imagination to bring him back to life. *kuku* His character is so nicely developed, and after VesperChan's Obelisk series (Go read that) I've grown fond of the twisted murderer. I shouldn't be uploading this...but what the hell, right?**

**WARNING: This takes place at the very end of the Naruto manga- MORE PRECISELY, the 699 chapter since I refuse to acknowledge the existence of the 700. So, yeah… SPOILERS AHEAD. Also, this is sort of a first for me to write a story about an actual (future) pairing, so be gentle.**

**Or not.**

Chapter 1: Eventful

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Life happens in strange ways.

Honestly- it forces things to be _weird_, awkward and just plain annoying. It never goes by plan, it can humiliate you in the most outrageous situations, is cruel, honest and _unavoidable._

Sakura's gotten used to that pretty quickly- well, she was starting to. She's been a fool most of her life, so actually _opening her eyes _for once was a miracle by itself. But hey, at least she finally got that deserved wake-up call; most people get it once they finally meet the Big Man upstairs.

So, in a sense, she wasn't going to take what life threw at her for granted anymore. She wasn't going to make an idiot of herself anymore- she was going to keep calm about _any_ situation and lower down her feelings like all shinboi _had_ to. She was going to try and be what everyone wanted her to- silent and out of the way.

It was a promise, an oath, and everything in between. She will serve her village to her last breath, and let go of the personal life she never had. She had lost her pride, but she still held her status as kunoichi. And she'd be _damned _to lose that too.

But, this evening, without her even knowing it, life was just about to eat that little promise she had uttered loudly on a lonesome Tuesday night and spit it back into her face.

Like _always_.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

She was strained, exhausted, tired, sore, woozy, dizzy and the walking dead.

Those words all kinda described her life right now.

After actually completing her first mission under the reign of the now 6th Hokage (read: Kakashi-Sensei), Sakura had thought it to be a nice idea to go out and train. Honestly- the mission was basically her walking up to a smaller village some 30 kilometres away carrying a letter which asked the officials if their village needed any supplies. Not only sheer embarrassment, but mundane at best, Sakura knew the moment the officials loudly read the contents of the letter still in her presence that Kakashi-Sensei was still the same vary teacher that thought her to be weak and whiny.

So, with time on her hands, she had treated herself into unoccupied training grounds. Training was tiring by itself, but without doing it with someone else it also tended to be wasted time. Her punches were strong, but if she couldn't hit a moving target it meant absolutely _nothing_.

But it wasn't like she was going to whine about that. _/I've put myself into this situation and now I have to suffer the consequences of it/ _Those were the constant thoughts in her mind as she drilled through the hours. She preformed some taijutsu manoeuvres, focused to broaden her chakra supplies and had perfected some basic jutsu she knew, which were little and lacking if you cut out the medical ones.

_/I'm not meant for the battlefield specifically anyways/ _It was supposed to be a comforting thought, but it just made her feel worse. It wasn't the first time she wished Tsunade was still patient enough to spar with her; but her Shishou was finally enjoying the luxury of free drinking and no paperwork. Besides, after the war began Tsunade had stated herself that she wouldn't train her anymore- most likely because she believed she would _die, _but the statement still stood.

The only person she might be comfortable enough to ask and spar with was Lee- and she would, if she didn't know he'd proclaimed the news all over Konoha, screaming how his dying _love_ had finally acknowledged him. _/Even Sasuke'd be surprised/ _That sombre thought had effectively made her stop and end her training for today. And that was a good thing- since if she'd kept it up, she would have had the dirt as a bed tonight.

_/How come exhaustion kicks in _after _the adrenaline wears off?/ _She groaned to herself, her footsteps heavy as she clambered her way through the streets. Her chakra reserves were so _small, _it was lucky she was still moving. Her back was slouching and her arms hanged- but she couldn't care about her posture at all. Even her mind was sore.

_/Well, at least the day's ended/ _She hummed lightly in the secluded part of her thoughts, and she regretted uttering anything at all. She noticed the wave and yell of "Sakura-chan!" _after _slouching past them and further down the streets. She saw two blonds, a lazy-ass, a head stuck in a bowl and a faint outline of a duck's butt. That was all she needed to blush in shame, and skirt her way through some crowds as she hid her face in her hands. Not only Team 10, but _those _two _/I'm taking the rooftops next time/._

She reached her apartment complex relatively safely after that, and she let out a sigh of relief as she clambered her way through the many steps. After returning from the war (relatively) unscathed, her parents had finally offered their blessing into getting her own place to stay. The timing was perfect too- this was just one part of her life she wished to stay in a hole of her own… _**Forever.**_

"Well, at least today was _eventful._" She mumbled as she walked up to her door, looking for her keys. She hummed in triumph upon locating the little suckers in a hidden pocket, and the only thing on her mind was that small distance between her and the bed.

The door opened and she took a step inside. She turned her head to regard her apartment quickly and, (The lights were on. She had to have forgotten about them…) only once she had shut the door, her blood ran cold as her fingers grazed the doorknob before falling to her side. Her face was stuck into that little tilt of her smile as she stared ahead with wide eyes growing into dinner plates.

Not to say that her guest wasn't surprised as well- his eyes were wide and his lips were slightly open, the rice-ball in his hand stopped half way to its assumed destination, body frozen. Honestly- off all the people that could have come back to haunt her from the dead, it just _had _to be the strongest person she had ever killed.

Sakura wasn't sure how long they both stood still, but it wasn't until the rice-ball fell and moved away that she jerked back into the present.

"Gahhhhh!" It was a mixed scream/battle cry which she most often reserved for rats or Naruto, but it seemed to do the trick and snap both of them out of it. She hit her back against the door, before she held up her fist and charged right when that _puppet monster _was just about to _say_ something. "Wai-!"

Although her intentions were well, her fist was lacking any power and her coordination was worse than that of a blind mouse. Sasori easily stepped out of the way from her clumsy attack, and Sakura lamely swung at thin air. The action made her dizzy and her eyes blurred at all the many objects and colours. But she refused to give in, and she quickly spotted the moving mess of stark red hair. Sasori must have been anticipating her movements, since he had practically tackled her to the ground the very next second.

She couldn't choke in her gasp of pain as her back hit the floor violently. In seconds he had her arms pinned at her sides, and her legs crushed by his own as he towered over her. Sakura was still seeing stars, yet her will was stubborn as she struggled against the hold. It was weak and pathetic- and she gave up after moments, an exasperated exile of air leaving her.

She refused to look at him: she was _revolted _at the thought of _him_ being the last thing she sees, so she stubbornly closed her eyes. She thought of fields of flowers, and she saw herself as a child, her parents beside her. It was beautiful and at her now-dying-moments she knew that they were the most important in the end. Sure, there were was the village and the rookie 9. But they weren't the ones that _never _pushed her away. They weren't the ones that offered her comfort and help when she needed it most. Her family did that- the only kind she ever had. She saw Tsunade and Shizune in the distance somewhere, and the complete image made her smile lightly. _/I'm glad…/ _

After a few moments passed, and she was still able to breath and feel, she forced an eye open. Sasori hadn't moved his position, but was staring at her with a rather blunt look. Those half-lidded eyes and thin line of his lips screamed unimpressed in every way, and _that _irritated her into speaking. "What is this- closer inspection?" She hissed, glaring.

Sasori didn't seem surprised at her sudden bravado; but his lips pulled into his usual frown. "You should only be so lucky to become one of my puppets, _little girl_." He murmured evenly, and the deep, serious voice convinced Sakura- it was definitely _him_.

"If you aren't planning to kill me" She met his uninterested golden eyes evenly, her face twisting into a glaring scowl. "Then you might as well _get off_" She tried to wriggle her hands free to prove her statement, but it was hopeless. _/Damn- right when my chakra's down too/ _She held her ground, her expression not revealing any of the turmoil beneath _/I should have been more careful. Damnit!/_

Her words seemed to only serve as a purpose of amusement for the cold monster in front of her. "I'm not the one that tried to attack first, little girl" He pointed out, and Sakura forced the flinch down- she had to remain her composure at all costs. "So, if you promise to remain silent, we might achieve a compromise."

Sakura wished her eyes had the ability to burn holes through his head- there was no compromising with a monster, especially that of the _former_ Akatsuki; any sane person with a shred of sense knew that. But she was defenseless like this, so she glared some more and reluctantly nodded in the end. She gulped out the words, swallowing down the fear and burst of adrenaline seeping through her veins. "_Fine._"

Sasori seemed to believe her agreement as much as she did. She forced herself to meet his unrelenting and calm gaze, trying to calm down her racing heart. She could read nothing in his eyes- emotionless and blank as they were, and that fact made her just a tiny bit more aware that this was a _monster _of a shinobi: the epitome of the meaning.

Her heart seemed to stop as he leaned in with narrowed eyes, pressing her hands with more force and Sakura feared he had come to the decision of her death. But then he leaned back and relaxed, successfully getting off of her, but still crouching in front. Sakura sat up on her elbows, and she felt the forming bruises but did her best to ignore it. For now…

They shared a look, before Sakura sprang to her feet and turned, making a mad dash towards the window, screaming atop her lungs. "HEEEEL-Umph!" She didn't make even 2 steps, before Sasori had tackled her, _again. _This time, they both hit the hard floor with a lot more force.

She had landed on her side, and the world spun before coming back with harsh clarity, and her breath hitched. Sasori was behind her, a hand of his own clamping her mouth shut into place. There was nothing else but that hand constricting her, but Sasori made a clear warning; if she dared to even move _an inch _he would choke her, crushing her airways and throat. He must have landed painfully on his side too, as he took a few deep intakes. _/There goes my last chance for freedom… out the window/ _Gone without her, left at the mercy of a heartless criminal.

Sakura felt and recognized the pinch on her throat; she wished she could resist, but it was a clear blow to the nerves and her body. Her visions blurred and her eyelids were heavy- before everything went black, only one thought passed by:

_/Well, today sure was __**eventful**__/_

**A/N: I'm gonna regret submitting a new story soon- but what the hell. I mean, it's already 4 chapters in.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Negotiations

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Sakura felt comfortable and warm when she woke up. There was something soft underneath her, and from the hard pillow beneath her head, she presumed she was lying on the couch. A very nice smell floated to her nostrils.

_/Blueberry tee…/ _She recognized her favorite fruit tee anywhere, and she blinked her eyes open. They were sore and un-coordinated at first, and she groaned, still in her dreams. The familiar ceiling met her eyes- this was her apartment, then? _/Who's making tee…?/ _She registered blearily _/Or did I just forget about it?/ _

The answers to all her questions came walking through the kitchen doorway soon enough. Sakura instantly grew alert to the even footsteps, and cocked her head backwards in an awkward angle. She went still as she met the form of Sasori upside-down, carrying a cup of steaming tee in his hands. _/Oh that's right… There's a dead puppet master in my house./ _The implications of that were soon understood, and she turned back in front, just about to jump out of the couch and the window, grasping the chance of escape she missed before.

"Not so fast."

The words were soon followed by the familiar rustle of wires, and before she knew it, her body was tight and bound by them. She hissed as some bit into her skin, plopping back down on the couch like a caterpillar. Sasori was completely unaffected by her loud swearing, most of it directed at him, as he walked around her and slumped himself at the low glass coffee table.

"Finished?" He inquired, gingerly taking a sip of the warm tee. Sakura glared daggers at him, and she wished he would choke on it this instant. Not only was she captured, helpless _and_ wrapped up neatly, her _guest _was helping himself to both her food and treasured herbs. And she was starving, among other things.

"Well then… you ready to listen, for once?" He raised an amused, but all the while serious eyebrow at her, setting the cup down beside him. "I have _nothing _to hear from you, except the details of my death." She bit back angrily. What did he have to say to her, other than that? Why was he here, other than _that_?

Sasori glanced at her with intrigue, but only the slightest bit. "If you're so hung up about it, I'm sure we can make a few arrangements." He was taunting her, she knew, but she refused to give in and her eyes only narrowed to slits even more. At her silent response, Sasori continued.

"You've probably noticed I'm alive."

"Unfortunately_._"

"_And_ that I'm not a puppet anymore." He raised his voice, narrowing his eyes just a millimeter in a glare her way for being interrupted. Sakura met the stare full-force, but she couldn't hide her slight shock at the news.

He was right- it wasn't cold and hard hands that had held her in place, but _real _flesh and blood. _/How could I have missed that?!/ _She was regretting that missed punch more and more- she could have knocked him out cold and get back with the ANBU and Hokage at her heels, instead of going through all of this now. _/Never again am I training after a mission ever/ _

"Surprised, are we?" He hissed her way, his face morphing back to that lazy and slouched appearance he always had. "Well, the feelings are mutual, I must confess." He hissed, completely angry about the entire ordeal. It _was _his so called _immortal _body he lost, after all. Sakura wasn't sure why he was so angry- he should be _glad _for getting a second chance in a _real _body.

"Either way" Sasori sighed, letting go of his grudge and displeasure. "I'm not dead. And your residence suits my needs for now."

Sakura openly gaped at him. Was he _insane_? Or was she? At this point, she wasn't sure what was fact or fiction. "What is _that _supposed to mean?" She hissed at him like a cat. "You're not _staying _here, are you?!" Because, a master puppeteer staying at her house was weirder than said person not killing her. "How are you even _alive_?"

"I _was_ reanimatedto serve in the recent war." Sasori complied, rather irritated, and Sakura racked her brain- someone had mentioned that all the Akatsuki members had been revived at the starting point, that was true. "And my death wasn't as…_swift _as the others. In the end, I was given this body and found myself here. That's all you need to know." Which was basically nothing, since she could have figured that out by herself. Still, who was she to pry for more? Sasori was a cruel soul in the form of a human, and his so far relative compliance and mercy with the entire situation was a lucky thing in this entire catastrophe.

"That still doesn't answer my question." She mumbled, before raising her gaze angrily. "Why are you _here? _In Konoha?" More importantly-her apartment. She had just finally settled down from all these types of problems; why was this happening _now_?

"Your forces were the closest retreating." He answered in blunt honesty. "And I have managed to slip unawares while you were all recovering from the damage and loss." He sipped his tee- _her _tee, before exhaling and giving her a full blown smirk. "If you're wondering _why _I am here in your home" He leaned closer, a cruel glint in his eye. "Well, what other Konoha nin can I think of visiting but my own killer?"

Sakura felt the shiver run up her spine at both his words and his closing distance- but he didn't have to know her fear. "Revenge?" She offered with a coy smile, slapping him with his words right back in his face. "For being killed at the hands of a pink haired teenager and an old lady?" She kept the smile intact, even if her own words hurt. Elder Chiyo was _anything _but an old lady- she was one of the few kunoichi she now looked up to, except for Tsunade of course. Being side by side in her last battle was both an honor and privilege.

Sasori's entire aura turned dark, even if his face remained the same lazy expression. He leaned down, closer to Sakura's face, and her heart was pounding as she could only wonder in muted horror if he was going to cut her throat off or push against the wires till she bled to death. He did neither, and reached down, gingerly taking a lock of her hair and cradling it in his fingers. "Tempting; _very _tempting." Her eyes were wide and he took satisfaction from her fear. "But I'm afraid I am no Uchiha to fall at the hands of revenge and my own destruction."

She wondered vaguely if he meant the Uchiha as a whole, or Sasuke in particular. Either way, both send the familiar sting in her chest, but her hectic love life (or lack of) was pushed aside by more worrying matters at hand.

"Don't think highly of yourself- if I killed you, I would make my existence known. And I am in no mood to fight a sad village and an over-powered fox brat." He let her hair fall back at her neck as he sat up, sipping his tee calmly. "Besides, winter is coming and the streets are no place for me."

Sakura gave up on the thought of chasing the murderer from her home- he wasn't budging and he had the upper hand right now. But her stubborn spirit was still pumping, and her ego was bruised enough from last night. "Scared?" She offered with a smirk. Sasori returned the gesture with one of his own, more intimidating kind. "Hardly. But anyone on it _should _be." He gave her a fake smile. "You wouldn't want to let innocent victims get harmed because of _you_, would you little girl?"

It was official- Sasori had effectively raided her home, trapped her and forced her to come to terms with it all. The kunoichi inside her was itching to send the news to Kakashi, Tsunade- _anyone_. But the medic in her was strong, and she'd never let others suffer on account of herself. No- not anymore. She might have gotten just the tiny bit stronger- but Sasori had killed Kage at her age, and she didn't _want _to know his strength as a human, even if it lacked his former puppet glory. Somehow, a human Sasori was just more frightening than a fake wooden existence of one.

She hadn't said a word- but the sigh and closing her eyelids with the strained nod of her head was good enough. This time, when he had let the wires fall slack from his fingers and left back in the kitchen, Sakura had only breathed out in relief and checked for injuries. Nothing major, since the fabric took more of a beating than her. She was wearing her standard chunin uniform today, since she still wasn't in the mood for her usual bright attire.

She sat up and sat on the couch, just now realizing how sore she still was. She stretched her legs out slightly and rubbed her wrists- yup, she thought with a wince, definitely bruises. She glanced at the open window longingly- she could escape now, it was her chance. But Sasori would know- he'd _expect _it and the civilians would pay for it.

She couldn't let _that_ happen. Not straight after the war. It would be the Kyuubi attack all over again. Kinda.

She flinched in surprise as Sasori sat next to her, a tray of food in his hands. She ignored the sudden vicinity and suspiciously looked at the remaining rice balls _she _had made early in the day, and heavenly cup of tea, turning to his face with raised eyebrows. "Poison?" She stated dryly, but her eyes were narrowed all the same.

Sasori actually _rolled_ his eyes at her antics and shoved the tray in her lap. Huh-rude. "If you don't wish to die in your sleep, then eat." He supplied in a bored tone, getting up. Sakura recognized the exhaustion on his own face- it's been a full three weeks from the return of the shinobi from the war after all. _/How long was he scurrying about in hiding…/ _She thought in wonder, since that would explain his more than gentle manner in handling her than he would have if his strength was at full capacity. Sakura wished she could hit her head against the wall _/__I could have even captured him, if I haven't decided to go to train myself to death/ _The fates were against her today. And rubbing it in her face.

"Your chakra reserves are extremely low" Sasori added as an afterthought, heading towards the direction of _her_ room. "No wonder you managed to sneak up on me…" He mumbled in a yawn as he disappeared down the hall, though Sakura heard him all the same.

She didn't have the strength to argue back or fight for her bed- she was drained, and she munched on the rice balls as much as she could without throwing them up instantly. Her stomach was strained from today's activities, and it couldn't handle solid food but she forced it down. She had devoured two rice balls, and managed to drink some heavenly blueberry liquid, before the scent had made her eyes too heavy.

She fell asleep before she dropped on the couch, satisfied and finally regaining her chakra through rest.

Today was the day her life would change, taking another direction completely. Whether she liked it or not.

**A/N: For those 2 reviewers out there (I know you must be somewhere!)- thanks a ton. You reminded me to update this. XD**

**Hate it, love it- I really don't care! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Deal with the Scorpio

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Good morning!"

"Morning!"

"Lovely weather, isn't it?"

"Morning, good sir! How may I help you?"

"Fresh apples for sale!"

"Dango! Get 'em while their hot!"

Sakura grunted wordlessly as she walked through the bustling streets of the Konoha Market.

It was early; which meant, crowds _everywhere. _Sakura should have known better, but after this morning she just _had _to get away from that wretched apartment which used to be _hers. _And hers alone. She had feared that consequences would befall her for such rash actions, but the man that was now in every sense of the way her official _roommate _had barely shrugged.

"_I'm heading out."_

_He hadn't even blinked at her words, and even if her body was facing the door her gaze lingered on his form almost expectantly. Her pride kept screaming at her to just freaking leave already, but her still body remained. She would not ever admit it, for it meant admitting _control_, but despite killing him in the past, Sakura had never stopped fearing the red assassin. No- even after that long and tiring battle was over and her body was slowly healed by the wandering hands of a great kunoichi that was Chio, her mind was still packed with adrenaline and fear. So may close calls; so many vague slip-ups came to mind only when it was all over…_

_Back then her comfort was that his core was broken, and his body was now what he had made it to be- a shell. Right now though, her only comfort was a vague piece of paper that supposedly kept them at a distance from ending in a battle to the death. In which, if it ever came, they _both _knew who would claim victory._

_He shrugged, his back slouched as he read one of her medical books (she didn't even want to know) on the floor, his eyes never lifting, and voice distant and rough. "Where are you headed?"_

_She rolled her eyes at the uncaring question. "Off to inform the Hokage of your whereabouts. And prepare a date for the execution."_

"_And then?" He wasn't fazed by this at all. He hadn't believed her words- but then again, neither did she. Either way, her eyes still narrowed all the same._

"_Market." _

_Flipped a page and rolled his shoulders, back still slouching awkwardly. "Good. Buy edible food." He glanced up at her for a moment, completely serious. "Your cooking's terrible." _

_It was sheer will power and patience (Because she was the better person in this picture- right. She was the good and they always prevailed) that helped her walk out of that apartment and into the streets, slamming all the doors on her way out. It had nothing to do with fear or uncertainty at the outcome should she attack- if she wasn't so patient, why, his head would be flying into blood freakin Mist right now._

But all in all, this was a pretty good move on her part. The early morning crowds were packed with civilians, while the other shinobi were still tucked in their beds, waiting until the morning rush hour left. The less chance being spotted by anyone familiar- she couldn't socialize just yet. No; she _refused _to see anyone familiar right now. She wouldn't know if they'd be subjected to her tears or fists. Neither was a good outcome for both parties.

If there was one thing that put things off Sakura's mind and into productive fields, it was food shopping and price wars.

Shinobi may have been experienced at the battlefield, but as a result, they were _useless _in the wars of lowering prices against experienced salesman. They could kill an enemy without batting an eye- they were as good as goners when faced with sly grins and bad products with high prices. Well- _some_ of them.

Sakura grinned as she spotted her target- why, that must have been the very finest rice she had seen this season. She edged her way to the stall, patiently waiting in line behind many others. Civilians knew these wars well, and they were especially cruel when precious goods were the case. One had to have an eye for these things, because they weren't everyday findings.

Being an apprentice to the fifth Hokage had its… _perks_. Despite Tsunade killing her in their trainings, completely torturing her body to new edges each day and using her as distraction when she lost games and stole the rewards, she also used her apprentice for means of solving endless paperwork, much to Sakura's horrified dismay in her genin days. But, this also included her to stay in the village a lot more than the others, and be involved in the more _delicate _political missions further down the way.

As such, her mother dragged her to the market constantly, to catch up with their "bonding", and it wasn't much as bonding as it was a 101 lesson about getting the better end and making the most noise to achieve a few pounds of season strawberries or peaches for a laughable amount. Sakura had seen _many_ arguments and fights over prices her mother had eventually won as they went from stall to stall, each salesman dreading upon their arrival but never bending as they sent awaiting grins their way. Sakura had been horrified at the noise and absurd threats her mother could make every time, wishing for Kakashi-Sensei to come and make the ground swallow her whole, and she had all but dreaded all the _bonding_ days to come.

It was a different story today. These skills were now precious, not meager at all, especially when she had witnessed Ino instantly cave in and buy a bag of seeds at a much higher price than she should have on one of their girl night outings. And anyway, this was great for venting out frustrations in a way without posing harm and the consequences of doing so. It was quite effective therapy.

This was a skill she would never forget and nurture always. Sakura perked up as she came up front, the beautiful shining rice still untouched in the large bag. She got a glance of the price and blanched almost instantly. _/The hell. What a rip-off!/ _She fumed on the inside, smiling the salesman's way which he returned full-force. _/Hmm, this look like a tough nut to crack. But I _am _Mebuki Haruno's daughter after all/ _She smiled shyly as the salesman paid her his attention. "Good morning. What will we have?" He grinned, rubbing his hands in glee and Sakura purred with malice on the inside. _/Pink hair doesn't spell innocence, you jackass/. _She grinned back at the salesman full force in reality, steering her temper towards more productive parts of the brain.

"That rice looks wonderful." No point in beating around the bush- the salesman saw her eying it, and he wasn't buying her act for an instant. As much as she wasn't his. "How much for 2 pounds?" Still, she batted her eyelashes and twirled a lock of hair through her fingers. You never knew the enemy till you saw its reaction.

The salesman grinned his characteristic smile. "30, little miss. Double the price for 2 pounds." The salesman grinned showing off a few gold teeth to replace the holes, expecting her to scowl at the loss or cringe at the sight. Sakura just sighed and kept on smiling though. Here we go…

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_She dreamed thick trees, deadly animals and a cold night. _

_She dreamed of snakes and black haired boys fighting, while 9 foxes danced in a circle_.

_She saw sandstorms, feathers and the black haired boy leaving with the snake draped around his shoulders, its fangs stuck in his neck. _

_The blood dripped in the ground, swallowing the ground and herself, and she was falling into an ocean of crimson._

_Pain. Fear. Wood. An approaching scorpion's tail._

"_Morning." _

_Sakura opened her eyes at the greeting and instantly groaned, wishing she could go back to sleep again. Memories from last night events came crashing down on her, crushing any half-sleep made up wishes off a nice breakfast and good book. She knew who walked by and into the kitchen, but she ignored it. Apparently, she was going to get used to this for a while._

_She just laid there on the couch, staring at the wall at the other end, eyes blank. She had thought- _hoped_- that with new problems in her life now, she would stop dreaming of the past and what could be or could have been. She had closed that chapter of her life- that endless running in circles of weakness and loss, and had moved on for good._

_Or so she thought. /No such luck/ She mumbled as she breathed in her pillow, remembering the image of the scorpion at the end /My problems just merged together/ She smiled bitterly, before pushing herself upwards into a sitting position._

_She stretched and glanced at the doorway to her right. Her new _roommate _seemed to have helped himself with the kitchen and food, but that was fine with Sakura. She reeked, and although she wouldn't dare take a shower with a killer up so early and walking, there was no reason to be filthy._

_She inched her way down the hallway and into her opened room, closing it shut behind her. She glared at the doorknob; seemed he wasn't tired enough to confiscate all her keys last night though. She ignored it and turned to her bed, expecting the worst._

_That wasn't the case it seemed. Her bed was even more organized than she last left it, and that was saying something, since Sakura tended to be somewhat of a freak when cleaning was involved. /And I don't seem to be alone/ She nodded to herself approvingly at the tucked up sheets and pillows, and not a thing in her room was moved from its usual position. /Huh. Maybe living with him won't be so bad after all…/_

_That thought was instantly crushed by a vigorous shake of her head, as she tore her clothes off distastefully and threw them in the laundry basket with more force than intended. /What am I saying? Living with _any _akatsuki member would be nothing short of a nightmare, especially the one I had a hand in killing/ She trudged her way to her small bathroom, ranting about this entire situation to herself. _

_Sakura discarded the rest of her clothes and scowling, she scrubbed her skin raw, hoping to at least to slow down the sweat and stench. She held the towel to her chest and smelled her armpits. /Yuck./ She made a face which was reflected by the glass. /I wish I could go and use those scented bathing salts. A bath would be so nice…/_

_She re-entered her room, but carefully looked around first. /No red headed assassins in sight/ She skipped her way to her closet, gulping in her mind as she hurriedly put on clothes she was missing on her person /For now/. _

_She put on her long black pants, and a simple green T-shirt that was a bit too big and covered her behind. It was a hazard appearance altogether, but that was how she felt like anyway. /There's no one to dress up for too/_

_She knew she couldn't ignore the stench, roommate assassins or not, so she put on some light perfume to hide it away. She was planning to eat breakfast, ignore the new stain in her life and run out in the streets. Just because she couldn't say anything at all in protest, didn't mean she had to stay with this new problem of hers cooped up all day. That was final. _

_She left her Konoha headband on a cupboard, and she didn't mind her bangs falling to her forehead. They've grown out just a tiny bit, so it kinda suited her. She winced in the mirror /Well, that's one big understatement of the year/ Her hair resembled a messy mope, there were dark circles under her eyes and her baggy clothes hid nothing underneath, since she had nothing to show. _

_She ignored it though- whatever she looked like, the scarier she was, the more of a chance for her problem to leave. It was wishful thinking on her part, but… /Hmmm, that's not half bad of an idea…/ Smirking, she grabbed her money and stashed it deep into her pocket._

_She cleaned up some minor details in the room more as a nervous habit than anything, before gathering her wits and stepping out into the hallway. /What is that smell?/ She blinked at the burned stench in the air, before hurrying along /If he burned my kitchen, I swear to God/._

_She was just about to step head first into the kitchen doorway, before she was dragged away. Yes- __**dragged away. **__Before Sakura could even comprehend anything and her reflexes kicked in, she was plopped down on the tatami mat rather harshly. She blinked in wonder, staring at the low table as the person responsible for her brief kidnapping walked over and gingerly sat the spot opposite hers._

_She glared at that lazy expression and she wished she could wipe it off his face. "A simple 'Please come here' would have sufficed" Her words were meant to be angry and resentful, but they just sounded tired. _

_Sasori simply raised his eyebrows at her. "Unlikely."_

"_What have you done in my kitchen?"_

"_Besides, now that I have your attention" Sakura scowled, as he completely ignored her. He took out a large scroll and spread it open on the table. "There's business to be done regarding our little transaction." He gestured to the open scroll, but all Sakura saw were all kinds of seal characters wrapped around each other in a giant circle. She looked at the red head across the table half-serious. "You plan to seal me?" She joked, her smile wavering. _

_It was impossible to seal someone living- even summoning scrolls didn't have all their animals neatly sealed into a tiny scroll, but this _was _Sasori she was talking about. She was scared to even _think _of the things he was capable, considering he made his own _body _into a puppet _and_ lived to tell the tale._

_Sasori didn't indulge her curiosity, but continued uninterrupted. "It seems that, you don't trust me much." Sakura snorted at that. "I don't trust you _at all_." She muttered in a hush, but Sasori heard her all the same._

"_Don't worry; the feelings are mutual, little girl." He gave her one of those bare smiles, which screamed he was going to enjoy killing her soon, stripping the flesh bare off her bones- something along those lines which was bad for her health. _

"_Anyways; I need a residence of sorts-"_

"_Temporary residence." Sakura cut in, and Sasori gave her a light glare. She didn't give in though- just glared harder. "_And_, you need to be insured I won't kill you." Sakura wished she could have laughed at that statement; but it was the cold-blooded truth, and she didn't want to dig herself any deeper in this pit filled of poison scorpions. "So, for this entire… _thing _to actually work, a sealed contract is the best thing to sign."_

_Sakura raised her eyebrow. "Sealed contract?"_

_Sasori seemed just about ready to gap and sigh at her ignorance; instead he just mumbled something underneath his breath about the 'soft Leaf', before inhaling deeply. "A sealed contract is a contract signed between two parties to whatever terms they require the other to uphold." Sasori explained. "It's most often used after wars or large battles, for the sake of 'peace times'." He elaborated, voice dripping with sarcasm and distaste, while Sakura nodded slowly, as a distant memory resurfaced of Tsunade mentioning something similar before; a sealed contract was used between Konoha and Suna after the dreaded invasion of the chunin exams._

"_This however" He pointed to the large circle containing all kind of seals. "Is a very _special _seal contract. The Unbreakable vow." Sakura glanced at Sasori suspiciously, already guessing where this was going. "Let me guess- signed in blood?" She inquired, and Sasori looked a bit stunned (at being cut in or her correct guess- she couldn't know) as he nodded. Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. _

"_That's like an ordinary blood contract. Besides, even if we seal it in blood I can't be sure that you'll stick with the terms." Blood contracts were a fickle thing- they didn't guarantee punishment to the one breaking the terms of the contract. They would only warn the other party that someone _was _breaking the terms of the contract. There were too many worst case scenarios with the master puppeteer abusing this major weakness._

_Sasori laughed at her lightly, smirking and Sakura's fingers rolled into tight fists at her side, trying to keep her anger in check. "Well, lucky for you this isn't an _ordinary _blood contract" His face smoothed back into a semi-serious one, but Sakura kept her guard up, her ears wide open. _

"_You've probably noticed there are no written words here" Sakura nodded absentmindedly. /Hard to miss/ Every scroll had at least _one _word written in or on them. Ignoring the seals, this scroll was bare. "Just a pattern of seals. Well, this isn't more of a contract as it is a vow." _

"_A vow?" She glanced at the scroll uncertainly. "How does that work?"_

"_We both agree to what terms we want the other to uphold." He sounded bored, as he gestured with his hand around him, as if this was the most unexciting thing to describe. "And after that, you dip your hand in blood, place it on the centre of the seal and utter your name and the terms you promise to keep. I do the same- and we both move on with our lives." _

_Sakura ignored his last words (Moving on with her life was becoming a rather slim hope for her future. Especially after this _tiny_ development) and tried to peace it all together in her head. "…you mean the seal will force both parties to maintain their promises?" Sakura's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and at Sasori's dumb nod her face almost split into a huge grin. "And the seal will actually _memorize _everything we've uttered? And know when we break our vow, even if we're kilometers away from the source?" He had said none of that but the fact she had deduced it all by herself correctly just made him nod dumbly all the same. "That's amazing!" She grinned- she had no idea how many times she had searched for such a thing in the library; it would have saved them from so many political battles! /Oh, the possibilities/ Her eyes sparkled, as so many unnecessary paperwork could have gotten easily burned of…_

_She caught Sasori's amused expression directed at her, and she quickly forced herself to calm down, scowling as she looked at the table, a light blush staining her cheeks. "I mean… consequences?"_

"_Death." _

_It wasn't a really great outcome, but it wasn't like she was surprised. If she spilled the beans to someone, she would have died at Sasori's hands eventually. Dying by the power of a scroll promised a much calmer death; anything better than Sasori who would have undergone the procedure of turning her into a doll as slowly as possible._

_What other choice did she have?_

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

**A/N: Anyone catch the Harry Potter reference? Of course you did. Right- I'm too obvious for that.**

**It's really late at night, my shoulders ache and my heart is beating a mile. In short; I can't sleep. There. Thought I'd edit this chapter out. Hope it's a bit more satisfactory now.**

**Follows, favorites and reviews are all to praise. Thank you. *bows low* **

**I'd be the better person and say that the amount of reviews isn't going to determine the fate of this story (and I wouldn't be lying for the most part), but since I'm only human I might take it up for ransom here and there.**

**It's not me- it's you! *points* **

**Now act insulted and write a complaint about it- or the story. Whatever floats your boat.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Unbreakable Vow

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_This was a great outcome in the end, right? Besides, he wasn't staying _forever _right? "Okay… What are your terms?" She questioned slowly and Sasori didn't miss a beat._

"_You can't tell, show, write, draw or signal anyone of my whereabouts. You are to listen to my words and needs. You are to be with me if I demand it. Also, you are to help me if I wish it."_

_Ouch._

"_That's a tall order, sir." She said slowly, giving him her biggest smile. "Alright then. Oh, and want me to promise to give you my body after my passing as permission to turn it into a doll?" Sasori looked at her strangely, but then he smirked and was about to say something, until Sakura screeched out her resolve._

"_Hell NO!" She yelled, forcing down the urge to get up and smack him. "What are you, crazy?" She growled, before shaking her head. "Don't answer that question! It's like I forget who I'm talking to." She glared at him with all the strength she contained, strong kage-level assassin be damned. What kind of crazy terms were that? She might be weak, but she wasn't stupid. "I'll take up your first offer. As for everything else, you can flush it down the toilet."_

_Sasori didn't react as _strongly _as she did, despite the fact he was obviously dissatisfied with her answer, sticking with simply narrowing his eyes her way. "Absolutely not. This isn't up for discussion." His voice was even, laced with annoyance. _

_/The nerve of that freaky bastard- how dare he?!/ "What are your terms, then?" He inquired acidly- completely ignoring her too! /Uhhh, you are going to end up dead before you can even blink at this stupid contract/ She bristled._

"_Don't kill me, destroy my village or extract any valuable information from me by force" She crossed her arms across her chest, _daring _him to decline. _

"_That's reasonable."_

"_Exactly. I'm not asking you to be my permanent slave or something!"_

"_Neither am I" Sasori countered, while Sakura just raised an eyebrow at him. Was he serious? "You do not have to follow me around or go through mountains and oceans for any of my whims. You only need to _listen _to my words, and come help me _only _if I need it."_

_Sakura sighed, exasperated. /It's like I'm talking to a wall/ She took a deep breath to calm herself- this was fine. She'd dealt with Naruto before. Sasuke too, unfortunately. "Look- you're a tough guy. I'm sure you can force any of this on me without a scroll to back you up." He was smirking as if _he _won the war, and Sakura was regretting even opening her mouth, but it had to be done. Slavery _wasn't _an option. "So here- I'll take the first and third demand. No more." _

_This was stretching it too far already, but she'd manage it. She wasn't helping him make his freakish dolls and if she went deaf or something and couldn't hear him, she'd die the stupidest death of the century! /Well, depending whether this scroll even works/ She sighed- this was all too much. /Well, if he agrees to my terms, than he'll never ask me to be with him. He can't threaten the village; so, I guess I'll let that one slip/ Sakura thought it all through._

_At least, she hoped she did._

_Sasori bid his time and thought about it for _far _too long, before eventually nodding. "Alright. As long as you say it word for word." He concluded, and Sakura glared at him. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" She mumbled, but he was already up and gone._

_Sakura took the time to study the scroll a bit more, but it was useless. The various seals were all glued together and although neat, they all looked like complex signs, ones that far exceeded her amateur to non-existent knowledge in the area of sealing._

_Sakura looked up as Sasori came back, her large kitchen knife in hand. She got up immediately- tensing. She made a mental note to hide away the sharper tools. "Woah- it's just a bit of blood right?" She asked shakily (Technically, he had a weapon in hand. There was no reason to be brave), to which Sasori mutely shook his head. "For the seal to memorize and bind the impact of your words, your entire hand has to be covered in blood."_

_Sakura wasn't shy around blood, with years of experience and a war behind her. Still- that was pretty demanding, for a scroll. /Then again, it is the Unbreakable Vow/_

_They rehearsed their lines, both of them giving it a test run as to how to tell it exactly as the other wanted. After minutes of mundane quarrel, they were (hopefully) prepared._

_After Sasori took the scroll and placed it on the floor, to properly open the very __**large **__thing, Sakura asked something that was bugging her to no end. "Wait." Sasori glanced up at her, the knife ready to slash his arm. He didn't even look scared at what he was going to do- like the thought of slashing open his veins by accident and slowly bleeding to death hadn't occurred to him at all. "Why didn't you demand for me to not kill you?" It was her advantage against him, that was for sure, but Sakura disliked cheating as a general rule in her life, so curiosity eventually won out her cunning. _

_Sasori gave her a challenging grin, something a lot more daring and twisted than his usual smirk. It brought her back 2 years prior, in a dark cave, next to an elderly kunoici as they both stared at the human puppet that came out his shell with horror. He was speaking- and even his tone was the same. Cruel, pompous, proud- and laced with and odd, twisted curiosity. "Please. You are nowhere near being able to kill me, little girl." He kept his gaze level with her- and she could feel the shiver crawl up her spine, feeling that same familiar horror she thought she had gotten rid of so long ago. "I'm not worried." _

_Sasori slashed his palm open lightly, and the blood came pumping out instantly. He smeared it across his fingers, until his hand was completely drenched in the red liquid. Sakura watched the entire ordeal with wide eyes- it wasn't sickening in any way (she'd seen surgeries bloodier than that), but it just proved that Sasori really was human- not a wooden monster. _

_It scared her. And she had no idea why._

_He crouched down on one knee, and placed his hand into the center of the seals. The seals hummed with life and immediately went sucking the blood away in answer. "I, Akasuna Sasori, hereby promise to not destroy the Village Hidden in The Leaves, to not kill Haruno Sakura or extract any information from Haruno Sakura by force in any way." Sakura noticed words of blood appear on the scroll as Sasori uttered them, the same words he was saying, before they were sucked in by golden seals. "This is my Unbreakable Vow." _

_The seal hummed a gentle tune, before everything went blank and the characters turned black again. Sasori extracted his hand, which was now completely healed and clean, and Sakura saw golden words inscribed in the very center of the circle of seals. _

_Akasuna Sasori._

_She must have been watching for too long, since she only took the knife when Sasori coughed loudly. She concentrated and took a deep breath, slashing her palm open. Her cut was cleaner, and the blood came in even waves, as she smeared the substance reeking of steel across her fingertips. It stung but it wasn't that uncomfortable. Satisfied, she crouched down on one knee and placed her own hand in the center._

"_I, Haruno Sakura, hereby promise to not tell, show, write, draw or signal anyone to Akasuna Sasori's whereabouts." She stopped and caught her breath here- this thing was eating both her blood and chakra at alarming rates. She shook her head as her vision blurred, focusing on her words. "I also promise to be by Akasuna Sasori's side should he demand me to, and to not extract information from Akasuna Sasori by force in any way."_

_All her blood words were sucked up by the golden seals, and Sakura caught herself when she was about to sway. Sasori made it look too easy. "This is my Unbreakable Vow." The seal hummed a gentle tune, before settling down and reverting back to its original colours. Sakura put her other hand down, to stop her from toppling over, and she peered into the center._

_Haruno Sakura._

_It was done._

_Sakura took her hand away, and stared at it with intrigue. /Completely healed…/ She mumbled, and reluctantly sat on the floor until everything stopped moving /My cut at least. This thing literally ate away part of my life!/_

_Sasori tucked in the scroll and held it in his hand. When she looked up, he was openly staring at her. "What?" She groaned out, slightly annoyed. Sasori was looking at her with interest- not morbid or cruel interest, but pure curiosity. It was strange._

"_That last part." He stated, voice calm but laced with undeniably question. "Why did you add it?"_

_Sakura got up- the world stopped swaying and she offered him a very small smile as she regained her balance. "Call it fair sportsmanship. This way, your secrets are safe." Sasori stared at her for a while, curiosity still stuck on his entire face. It was annoying, but it also made her wonder:_

_When was the last time he trusted someone?_

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"You're late."

Sakura scowled under her breath, putting her bags down onto the ground with a huff as she stretched her back, and looked the very villain which was lounging away on her balcony. "And you're out." She yawned- she had spent the entire day out, in the bathhouse and in shops. The sun was setting and the stars were beginning to show.

Sasori ignored her statement, gazing at the city and buildings. He looked peaceful- in a distant kind of way. Really, if he wanted to jeopardize his safety being in the public like that, that was totally fine with her. _/Less for me to worry about/ _

"Where were you?" Sakura glanced up in surprise, grey eyes boring down onto her. She smiled in amusement- not because she was flattered or anything, but she was too tired to play any word games. Yeah- that's it.

"I didn't figure I'd be missed." She bit out lightly as she made her way to the door of the building, never breaking eye contact. Sasori closed his eyes, face neutral and calm. "You weren't. The food was."

She couldn't see him or hear anything else as she entered, and made her way up the many stairs that awaited her. Strictly speaking, her life was horrible right now. She was depressed, weak, socially banned on her own terms, and labelled as a tight-fisted, pink-haired third member of that infamous team 7 everybody was talking about. Not to mention, she was no longer an apprentice of the Hokage, was deemed inadequate for dangerous missions by the very man who "tutored" her since she was twelve and had made a deal with a re-born S-class crazy criminal.

Still, she couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit excited.

Because, something major was going on. And, it was only happening to _her._

**A/N: I'm not sure how Sakura could be so excited at the prospect of living with an obsessive puppet master, but ya gotta give the girl a break right? Finally, some action and she's the only one it's happening to. A breakthrough! :-)**

**Thank you so much for those two last long reviews- I love feedback and criticism, so don't hold back! I'm so honored that there are beings that believe this story is decent (Hear that world?! There's hope for me yet! :-D)**

**I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The rules

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Sakura was wrong.

She was wrong, wrong- so very, very _wrong_. Dealing with a new "room-mate" wasn't going to be anywhere _near_ fun, or exciting or anything relaxing and definitely _NOT _enjoyable.

Sasori was a brute. Even worse, he was a _man brute, _and excluding her medical knowledge she had no idea how to deal with the opposite sex. Especially people as extreme as the red-haired.

He was _everywhere, _and not in the good sense. Sakura could feel his eyes whenever she moved into his line of sight (which was pretty often, considering her apartment wasn't big enough)- she was _positive _he was trailing her back all the time until she finally slammed a door behind her. Even then, she never felt secure or alone. Showering in peace or sleeping soundly were activities she dearly missed above all. She never found evidence of his sneaking around, but man, even seeing him _once _was good enough to make her feel like wounded prey for the rest of the day.

Unlike their first few days of "meeting" and "discussing", Sasori hadn't spoken more than two sentences to her every day or so. It was basically this- once a couple of more days passed, and Sasori was _sure _she wouldn't let him starve to death (which was sounding like a better alternative every day) or somehow manage to sneak a knife through his heart, he cut off the entire "sweet talk" (or whatever "lightly cruel" behaviour he called it) and showed his _true _colors.

In a way he was acting a lot more like she always imagined he would- aloof, withdrawn, cold and calculating. The murderer and killer that he really was, and his behaviour gave her enough of a constant reminder of who he really _is. _

She wasn't sure why she was surprised, really. This was Sasori, master puppeteer and professional psychopathic killer. An acute description from the bingo books, Sakura knew. There was only one more thing to add: "Will forcefully use people against their will until an agreement has been made, and live off sucking their blood dry until they are finally given a bit of death, and a lot of peace". This was actually something she had written in her journal.

Which was another thing she was constantly worried about. She _knew _he read through her books and textbooks- he did, and although she didn't mind…_ much_, she drew the line at personal. Sakura couldn't tell her _friends _all her secrets, and her journal was a messy book of all her thoughts, troubles and problems. Her handwriting wasn't _beautiful_ (one of the perks of being a medical kunoichi), or understandable at some points and she never wrote in a straight line. She wrote what came to mind, when and why- she had no way with words, but instead of a therapist (that are known gossip spreaders) this was a great alternative.

Sasori wasn't really fond of her either. For one, he didn't like her cooking and reminded her of her lack of ability in the area of the kitchen with passion ("I might as well have bent down, and licked the dirt under my feet.", "Are you _sure _this is sushi?", "How did you roast this meat? By sending it to the sun?" or "There is a new term for the culinary books; _under-_done."). He disliked the messy drawings in her living room, her hair, small fridge and her lack of "taste" in tee. And, as of late, the fact that she always had her _guard_ _up_ around a 3 meter radius of him (Which, she honestly couldn't help but do). At first, her tense body in his presence amused him to no end (She saw those hidden smirks as much as he saw her constantly look behind her back), but now whenever he saw a sign of her awkwardly still body he'd glare as if she was the nastiest cretin on Earth.

Sakura had problems with Sasori, but even she had to admit that they _could _find even ground (Very small, crooked, leftover rocks in a pit sorta ground). He _was _clean and very precise in handling his belongings (which included cleaning his array of poisoned weapons from his _smaller _scrolls), he despised a dirty mess to a point Sakura could applaud to (very _slowly_, but applaud nevertheless) and he wasn't obnoxious, annoying or loud (No- that role was still reserved for her, it seems).

If she could describe him in one word, it would be: old man.

Which wasn't that far off. Technically speaking, he was supposed to be 40-something if it wasn't for his rather, uhm, _fortunate _(?) encounter with the dark side of dead things earlier on. Sakura wasn't sure when she had fought him if Sasori had the mentality of a 40 year old or a 25 year old- he was so quiet and deadly, there wasn't much time for questioning mindless things. But seeing he had been resurrected in a 20- something year old body, she supposed…

Well, she still had no clue really.

Either way, Sakura knew that living with a resurrected assassin wasn't going to be _easy_, but her patience was running at a thin line. The fact her _fear_ of Sasori (Yes, she was scared of him damn it) prevented her from landing any vengeful punches for his very rude comments and glares and given the fact she was frustrated to _no end_ on Kakashi's lack of faith in her abilities, combined with her now totally _screwed up life… _

It was hard for her to go on like everything was _fine_.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

She wasn't sure when exactly she had decided it, but the night she went out to train was the night she finally snapped. _/It has been a fucking week since we've made that stupid vow/ _She punched, kicked and clawed at the stuffed practice dummy in front of her, the replacement for all her current frustrations. _/And I just keep letting him run all over me like he owns my _life _or something!/ _She screamed and landed the finishing blow, all her chakra focused in one point.

_/NO MORE!/ _She roared inside her head as straw and splinters of wood exploded into her face. She coughed up the dust and shook off stray twigs from her messy bun. Her loose black practicing shirt was covered in sweat and glued itself to her skin in the most uncomfortable and awkward places. Her baggy grey sweatpants were a different story, her favourite clothing overall. Loose, comfortable and never sweaty no matter how much she ran into them.

She gave the clearing a one-over, sighing as she dug and covered dirt in some of the bigger and more noticeable cracks and holes of the ground. Training was excellent for letting out frustrations, but grounds were strictly forbidden for use after seven. And it was _nine _now, basically bedtime for the younger and older people. Sakura would never _dare _do this years earlier or before the War- she was quite good with the law and had no intention of breaking it, plus ANBU were tricky to notice or deal with. It had become easier now- her chakra training had expanded her senses and sensory abilities (not that there weren't any close-calls; in fact, there were too _many_ to count at the beginning), and she didn't want to train in broad daylight. Too many familiar faces- and not enough strength for her to deal with anyone.

She stretched, did breathing exercises and cracked her bones- sneaking in the raining grounds was easy, sneaking back out was far more difficult. She was mentally and physically drained; getting caught and turned in was easy to happen. For that purpose, sneaking about and around the guards was done as slowly and carefully as possible- it trained her patience and silence, so it was basic extra training. Her eyes darkened as she waited behind a bench for the ANBU guard to leave his post _/Besides, if Kakashi ever found out, I'd be on D-ranked missions or hospital duty for life/. _He could try and ruin her career, but her life was another matter entirely.

They gust of wind and swirl of leaves was all the warning she needed, and Sakura scurried her way quickly through the maze of trees and paths, towards the red bridge, also known as Team 7's meeting place. _/Well, once known as Team 7's meeting place/ _She scowled as she neared the bridge- partially because of her _team _and the other part because of the jonin on it. _/What perfect time for extra guard duty/ _She bit her lip as she crouched in the bushes- _/Uhhhh, God, what would Naruto do?/ _She scrunched her nose in distaste and glared in thin air. _/Announce his presence to the world and face the enemy head on. / _She seated herself more comfortably with a sigh. _/And probably still win. He's not a ninja- he's a power machine./ _

She decided to sit this one out- jonin were almost never on guard duty, and they bored easily. Most lacked patience or the steady rhythm of things to do; they soon left for another spot. Still, some were experienced and not as eager, and it was all a matter of who-snapped-first.

As she was catching her breath and desperately trying not to fall asleep from exhaustion, her thoughts led to one of her more _unloved _subjects; her team. It made her feel uncomfortable and angry thinking about it- at herself, them, _him… _She wasn't really sure anymore. When was the last time she saw them? When was the last time she _really _saw them, not just passed by? When was the last time they gathered together, at Ichiraku's or at the bridge? When was the-

When had they _ever _hung out like an actual team did?

Sakura glared at that random jonin hard- she was really starting to hate his guts. How much more whistling could he take before eventually choking? She gathered another 10 seconds, before she personally took care of the problem. She stared at the berries to her left as the faces of all her "teammates" appeared in her head- why the hell was she feeling guilty? Why were they just ignoring _her, _ignoring _them?! _Damn- why couldn't she just be _angry _at them? Why? She deserved some solo time and peace of mind- why the hell were they… they…

Various calling and shouting lured her gaze back to the bridge, and Sakura face-palmed as there were now _two _jonin instead of one, chatting away. She slumped her back and breathed deeply. _/Right- tonight isn't my lucky night…/ _She looked toward the ledge far off, the only one not illuminated by the street lights. _/I have no choice. Like always/ _She closed her eyes for just a moment, imagining her warm bed back home, and with motivation in mind, crouched on all fours as she crawled like a turtle (at the speed of one) through bushes, sticky branches and jagged rocks.

She ran towards the ledge and almost rolled down to the small pond-river. After making _sure _her presence was still unknown, she looked at the waist deep running water with her very best grimace. Wincing, she dipped a cautious sandal in it- and almost immediately withdrew it. _/NO, no, no, no, no, no…absolutely not/ _She shivered and looked back, up the way she came. She was still not _inside_ the village and buildings, and the chances of her getting away with an explanation off "I got into a fist fight that lasted 3 hours" was very, extremely _low. _She gave the water a look.

_/I'm going to regret this/ _She gulped, and slowly walked into the freezing waters, wondering if she could get away by throwing some onto a certain roommate…

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

20 painfully long minutes later, and Sakura had successfully (and _barely_) crossed the bridge, a couple of more road blocks plus guards and found herself into the sanctuary of half-empty streets and various buildings covering both her sides. She was starving, exhausted, _freezing _and wet all over (courtesy of tripping and slipping under water, then staying under until the guards left).

All the way as she stomped through the pavement and dirt towards her house, there were only bloody headless read-heads in her mind and _changes. /No more beating around the bush/ _She hugged herself, sneezing loudly. _/From now on, there are going to be more rules and regulations/ _Sakura repeated to herself over and over again. _/We might have agreed to live together, but we as hell never agreed _how_/ _She could see the apartment complex.

All too soon, she found herself climbing her way through stairways, thinking on over-drive and pumping herself up with the little adrenaline she had left. _/Don't give in Sakura/ _She breathed deeply, narrowing her eyes. _/Don't be scared, you coward. He knows I come back late/ _She reminded her gut, and quickly shook her head. She had to focus. Right. _/Just storm in there, slam the door open, open your mouth and spit out the harsh, _new _reality in his face/._

Who ever said pep-talks never helped?

And she did exactly that- she opened the door, stomped her way in (and threw her shoes off without a care in the world. Her mother would be screaming her head off) and upon reaching the living room, took a deep breath and turned the lights on.

"I-…Can't believe you're sleeping in my room! _Again_!" She thundered out loud, staring at the empty couch with fury. Oh, did she forget to mention he invaded her bed whenever she wasn't in a 5 feet radius near it? "Arghh!" She scratched her head and messed up her already fucked-up hair, swearing loudly. All that preparation, gone to waste because someone conveniently relocated.

_ ./ _She breathed, reigning in her temper- she needed him to take her seriously, not blow her off for a screaming banshee that finally lost it. He needed to fear_ her_, for once. She stormed off, through the short hallway and stopped in front of her own door. Her heart was beating like crazy, and her mind was second-guessing this; but Sakura already made her choice.

She replayed her earlier plan- but this time, there was a messy and fully awoken criminal staring back at her with anger, shock and… _/What…?/ _She gave him a confused glance, before shaking her head and opening her mouth. Damn- this was so much harder than she thought it would be.

"I" She sighed and took a deep breath _/My pride is at stake here/ _"I think-_No…_From now on, things are going to go a bit differently around here." He was still on the same spot, pissed or surprised- she wasn't sure, but he was _listening. _"It's obvious you don't like some of my habits, I don't like some of yours and we _aren't really friends" _Understatement of the year. "So…so…" She sneezed loudly and swore- _/I can't even keep up a speech for 10 seconds, for the love of God/ _

"From now on, we are going to be following some mutual house rules."

"Alright."

"Now, I don't care if you don- cooould you repeat that?" Sakura breathed, staring at Sasori with wide eyes. Had her exhaustion got her to the point of hearing hallucinations? For a moment, she thought he _agreed _with her.

Sasori sat up a bit more in his bed (completely shirtless too, and she was so glad she was already flushed from the cold) and gave her one of his annoyed, blunt looks that just pitied over her incompetence and plain ignorance at the world. "I said '_Alright_'. Or are your ears as wet as your brain?"

Sakura ignored the insult for her own sake, gaping at him. "So, what, you're actually agreeing with me?"

"I know; it's unbelievable." He was actually _amused _with her. _/Ugh, did I fall asleep on that bridge?/ _

"On the whole… making up our house rules that the other should follow thing?" She repeated, tilting her head to the side. "_That _thing?"

"No- on skinning you alive." He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over a nicely developed and very naked chest. "_Yes, _that thing."

"Yes on the skinning, or…?"

"Yes on your idea of the house rules!" Wow- he was actually _yelling_, this was pretty rare. Sakura wondered why he'd be so annoyed- oh right, she woke him up from his sleep. "Are you even _listening, _little girl?" He inquired after he murmured something that she didn't quite catch. She just waved him off tiredly and slumped next to the doorframe, letting her limbs relax.

"Too tired." She yawned loudly, as her eyes felt very heavy all of a sudden. "Going to sleep~" She turned off the light to Sasori's room (_her _room, that's right) and clambered her way through the darkness and hopefully somehow slip onto the sofa. Not once did it come to mind to fight for her bed or pillow- it all seemed so distant and stupid at the moment.

As she tripped her way through navigating to a dark hallway and living room, she didn't notice the light footsteps follow her. She was fast asleep before she hit the sofa, not even taking a blanket or taking off her moist clothing.

She dreamt of poison running through her ears, and cold snow invading her lungs. There were snakes wrapped around her head and there were dark and blond boys in her eyes. But all of that disappeared, as a large brown bear wrapped around her and offered her the safety and warmth she desired, without a word.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

When she woke up, it was still late into the night and the moon shone through the open window. She blinked heavily, wondering vaguely where in the world she was. She wiped away the grime from her eyes and shivered as a cold sleeve touched her nose. She glanced at her wet and dirty training clothes in wonder, and looked around a bit better.

She was in her room, in her bed and in her training clothes. Bits and pieces of events flooded her mind, but nothing made sense. _/I don't remember getting into my bed…/ _But she _did _remember another person that did. And he was in it half-naked, last time she checked.

Blushing heavily, she looked around herself quickly, warily touching the rest of her pillows and the edges of the bed for any heads. There were none. Instead of relieving her, it only confused her more. _/We were talking- well, I was talking about the new house rules and he _agreed/ It was still hard for her to believe in that, but oh well. _/And then he started mentioning skinning me…or something…/ _

And then she went to the living room.

Did she ever make it there? She wasn't quite sure, but something must have happened. She had a pretty good guess of what probably _did _happen, but since Sasori was a cold-blooded monster she doubted it. Instead, she let her imagination make the ideas as she set about changing into warm pyjamas. _/Maybe I kicked his butt while sleepwalking and threw him out of the bed/ _She mused happily, grinning at the happily kicked out chibi Sasori by awesome chibi Sakura vision in her mind's eye.

She squirmed uncomfortably as she discarded her river-wet clothes. _/Ugh. He could of at least taken- woke me up to take them off/ _She quickly corrected herself from the horrible thought she almost let slip. Right. She would feel a lot more _annoyed _if he had done it himself. Since he was already half-naked… Really awkward situation right there.

Yeah.

As she exited her small bathroom, warm and dry clothes on, she looked at her desk casually. Her journal was on it, its huge lock and seal (because she was that paranoid) still in place. Her eyes were distant, hazed over, and before she knew it she was sitting down on her seat and opening a new page. She turned on her lamp and grabbed a pen, biting its end. She hummed thoughtfully and quickly scribbled something. Her eyes were tired and her head fell onto the desk, safely tucked away by her arms.

_**Tonight, right before I woke him up and prepared to scream at him, Sasori looked at me with worry.**_

**A/N: Awwww- isn't that sweet? Tell me this wasn't sweet- I dare ya.**

**Which actually translates to: Please review! XD**

**I worked my butt off for this chapter (I have no idea why I'm focusing so much on this story), but I just had to after seeing such lovely reviews! (Thank you guys! Much wow and thanks *cause hugs and kisses aren't free with me*)**

**See? Reviews DO help! :-P (Especially considering I studied crap today cause of this- yey for me)**

**This is my biggest chapter so far! (Runner up by 11 words XD) **

**Which translates to: Dont expect anything soon. X-(**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Conversation gone…

**A/N: School is a big frustration for me currently, and my life likes to bite me in the ass now and then with it (They're the perfect tag team, I swear).**

**I apologize if this wasn't as quick as I intended it to be… At least it's here.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Morning came too quickly for some.

For others, it couldn't have been slower.

_/Ouch/ _Sakura groaned as she blinked her eyes open. Her elbows and back were sore and aching; not to mention her chin and legs… _/Oh dear God, I fell asleep on the table!/ _She stretched out her arms, slumping in exhaustion from her awkward sleeping/sitting position _/Again. I've got to stop writing in my diary late at night damnit!/ _

She stood tiredly and made her way to the bathroom, vaguely wondering if it was still too late to go back to sleep. Her eyes were so weary and heavy... Just as she finished doing her business and washing her hands still half-asleep, the decision was made when she saw her bed; open and inviting. _/I don't care if I sleep in/ _She resolved strongly, almost in a zombie-like trance as she approached the unoccupied and clean bed_. Her _warm and clean bed. _/Just for a few hours… Everything else can-/_

Her relaxing thoughts were interrupted as her foot slipped and flew forward. Sakura gasped, eyes wide awake and open, and threw her arms and body around, desperately trying to regain her balance. In one moment she was like a panicked chicken flapping wildly about. In the next, she was gripping the small cupboard next to her to the point the edges began to crack. She stiffened and calmed down her heart and nerves.

Awkwardly sidestepping the long blue cloth material that almost gave her a bad bruise, she glared at it as her fingers picked it up. _/This isn't mine…/ _She thought, staring at the slightly baggy, long blue pants. They were too big for her and definitely not her style- they felt dry and smelled like a desert wind. Nope; not hers at all. On the other hand, she knew exactly _who's_ they were_. _

_/Oh, for the love of…/ _She bristled, making a sour face as she clenched it and walked out of her room, irritated and full of energy all of a sudden. _/Leaving his things all over the place…/ _She stormed through the small hallway and quickly found herself in the living room.

He was already up and dressed, lounging on the sofa and reading some academy scroll of hers or whatnot. She rolled her eyes at the sight _/Typical. Little Mister perfect…/ _Grumbling, she 'Ahemd' loudly and quickly threw _his _pants in his face the moment he turned her way.

He effectively caught it, ruining her triumphant moment and making her bad mode even worse. And, he hasn't even said anything yet. His capability of pushing her buttons was impeccable, really. _/I am going to kill him one day/ _She thought bitterly _/Again./_

"I think _that_ is _yours._" Sakura hissed, glaring at those blunt eyes which regarded her with irritation. Not like she really gave a damn now. "And if you have enough time to study _my _scrolls, you might as well have studied something more _useful_ instead." She made her way to the kitchen next door, forgetting about the bed, her appearance or the fact she was still in her pyjamas. She needed to keep her hands busy from re-decorating Sasori's face.

As always, instead of angrily retorting like any _normal _person would, Sasori twisted her own words and spat them right back at her. "Are you implying _your_ scrolls aren't useful?" She could hear his amused tone loud and clear, even in the small yellow kitchen of hers that was once a personal sanctuary. _/Nothing's a sanctuary nowadays…/ _

"No!" She snapped immediately, taking some eggs and cold left-over rice from the fridge, dropping them down angrily on a counter next to the stove. She had to cook-right. "It is useful for _me_. Not for _you_." She bit back as she took out the pan and turned on the heat.

"Different thinking- different point of views." Sasori mumbled after a stretched silence, and Sakura took that as a small, but significant victory for her. _/Sanity-1, Artist-0/ _She was cracking up eggs and cutting op some crunchy bread when Sasori spoke up again. "Besides, what's more useful to study, in _your_ opinion?"

Sakura thought about that for a while. "…Cooking, for example." She dead-panned, glaring in the direction of the living room. "Since you _hate _my food so much." She grumbled, internally preparing for the comeback. As always, Sasori didn't disappoint.

"I'll wait until food poisoning finally kicks in." He stated with boredom, before it turned menacingly sweet as Sakura's vein pulsed dangerously at the previous comment. "And is that the thanks I get, after I carried your bumbling-self back into your room last night?"

She blushed, taking out the plates and placing the finished eggs on them, staining the glimmering white. Why did she engage conversation with him again? _/So, it was him after all…/_ She thought in agitation as she rolled lumps of rice and placed them in the rice cooker, trying to cool down her face and erase the image of a shirtless and lazy Sasori in her bed from last night.

Really, why did she even _remember _that? _/No! Stop it! He's the enemy! Not handsome at ALL/ _Sakura huffed angrily at her brain, but it was a lost battle. The images just kept getting worse the more she denied them all. How her subconscious could be so perverted at just the _right _time was beyond her. She took the finished meals to the table and retorted to that taunt _when_ her face cooled down considerably enough.

"I wish you didn't do that. Now I'll have to scrub myself clean after knowing you _touched _me." She muttered, placing the finished eggs, loafs of bred and warm onigiri- probably the only thing Sasori could stand most from her meals (which were not that _bad_ at all)- on the table, taking her seat on the tatami mat. Really, this was the thanks she got for providing him food and shelter? _/Pampered dumb artist/ _

She promptly ignored him as he plumped down on his own seat, taking a bite of onigiri without a word of thanks. It was _really _annoying. Just enough to make her snap all over again. "Besides, why did you even carry me there? I slept on sheets that were infected by your psychotic germs; Why, thank you _sooo _much." The tone of sarcasm was loud and clear, and Sakura ignored the fact that technically she didn't sleep _on_ it that much. She was pissed right now- emotions overrule reason then, right?

"Plus, you could off woken me up. I _was _soaking wet. Right, thanks for helping me lower my chances of falling ill." She continued angrily, the words pouring from her mouth automatically. She was burning up by now. "And who allowed you to sleep shirtless in _my _bed?" She added furiously, waving a fork at him.

Sasori took it all in with a blank and bored gaze, munching on his eggs and bread. Like always. The fact he wasn't even reacting to her heavy accusations was enough to light up fire in her stomach. _/Obnoxiously emotionless is another thing to add on the list/ _

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the _world._" Sasori gulped down his food, mildly commenting "It's gross" before taking another large bite and continuing his I'm-surrounded-by-idiot(s) talk. "I'm not even sure why you're complaining. I _tried _to wake you up, but you were dead to the world." He swallowed. _/Liar/ _Sakura glared _/Even a ghost can wake _me_ up/ _Just one of the many things she had to add on that ever-growing list of hers.

"I'm surprised you're even up. And despite my so called '_faults', _I'm not a molester of any kind and I don't want you to take it the _wrong _way." He said it as if he _had _done it (Take her clothes off), she wold have fallen head over heels in love with him. As if any sane woman would start kissing him instead of biting his head off for doing such a thing. His ego stained his vision.

"And, I don't sleep shirtless, _little_ _girl._" He smirked widely all of a sudden, like that Cheshire cat, and it was downright malicious to the point of scary.

Sakura narrowed her eyebrows in confusion, restraining herself from gulping out loud at the image in front of her. Sasori was… _frightening. _But in a _different _way right now. _/Smug bastard… And what does he even mean?/ _

"But… I saw you… A-and your chest…" She blushed lightly (Not because she imagined his nicely toned chest _again_- no, absolutely NOT) at the idea that perhaps she had actually just imagined that entire conversation with him from last night. _/Gross. That'd technically mean I'd dreamed about him/ _She made a face, before neutralizing it into a suspicious frown /_But he remembers it too, so then why…?/ _

He chuckled while she vigorously thought up various explanations, and picked up the blue pants she had thrown at him before, wiggling his ey-

Oh.

…

OH!

_/My GAWD/ _Sakura felt her face heat up like a _volcano _erupted inside her, as something finally clicked in the back of her head. She stared at his demonic giggling form with wide, dinner plate saucers and a growing unease as the realization was starting to get to her.

He slept… naked. Butt naked. In her bed. The place _she_ slept in afterwards (albeit shortly). In her _spot. _

/…/ Her entire head was scampering and screaming with her internally; horrified and- "Y-you…You!..." She pointed at him with a shaky finger, and he just grinned his devil smile at her (All he needed was the horns). He was enjoying this _immensely. /H-he, I-I… MY GOD!/_Her mind was as shocked as she was; for once, they were in perfect coordination.

"Hey, your face is becoming brighter than your hair." He pointed out. "Flustered? Or, are you dreaming up some _happy _images…?" And _that _turned her a shade brighter. _/That pervert! I-I didn't eve-/ _Just like that, an _almost_ naked Sasori lying on a silk bed appeared from _thin air _and she shook her head in denial. _/Noooo! Stoooop!/ _She cried in despair.

"I would _never…._" Sakura hissed, trying to save some face. This was the enemy after all. THE _enemy!_

"Oh? Why so surprised?" Sasori leaned in across the table, just a _tiny_ bit closer. "I clearly remember someone _enjoying _themselves last night." He commented lightly, and Sakura was hit by another wave of embarrassment _/He DIDN'T…!/_

"You couldn't keep your snuggling face off my shoulder. Not to mention, your relaxed exhales-"

Sakura got the point. She _really _did, especially after _this _(Who carries a sleeping girl _naked?_), and she wasn't sure she could take it anymore. It was just too much for her- even for a kunoichi like herself. She could only go so far- actually, this must have been a personal record.

"You PERVERT!" She screamed and did the thing she wished she'd done a long time ago. She slapped him silly, got up and sneered down at him, before scampering off like a frightened kitten. It was a moment of courage completely ruined by the downright closet-pervert he really was; he just let out a light laugh at her slap and smirked. Pfft, fine. Not her fault he's a disturbed individual with abusive issues. At least she left him with a big, fat red hand mark there...

She stormed inside her room, flustered-red face and all. She almost buried her face in the pillows, before she jumped off the bed like it was a virus and sat on the toilet, burying her warm head in her hands.

She wasn't sure how a usual argument suddenly turned in this direction (And when exactly Sasori had decided to taunt her _that _way), and wasn't sure why she was reacting so strongly. He was an ordinary man…_boy_. Ummm; man-boy(?) who had forced her to take him under her roof by making a stupid freaking vow with the _devil _(Aka. Him). He was frightening, menacing and mean. He wasn't nice to her _at all, _and despite his rugged looks (Yes, alright he wasn't that bad-looking. Fine!) he was definitely no Sa-

And just like that, the flustered atmosphere morphed into a restrained and sad tone. /My_ thoughts just turn from bad to worse/ _Sakura mumbled depressingly, her green eyes dimming with sudden sadness. The familiar pang was back and storming the alleys of her heart. She hated it- hated _herself_ for feeling this way, but she couldn't help herself- or _him..._The almost absurd situation from before had lost all its comedy by now, and she lifted her sluggish body and turned the facet on. As she poured the cold water on her face to clean off her embarrassment and sorrow, one thing was for sure.

She was going to be a lot more careful around Sasori from now on. And, burn her bed sheets.

**A/N: It's short and not much, plus I wanted to add some more stuff- but it'll do for now. Think of this as a bonus chappie.**


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